Gender-based abortions: right or wrong?

[-:Undertaker:-]

Gender-based abortions: right or wrong?

In recent news it has emerged that some doctors across the United Kingdom have been performing gender-based abortions, in other words: if a couple wished for a boy and found out the baby was a girl, the girl would be aborted on that basis alone.

On the 7th October the attorney general ruled that the 1967 Abortion Act does not outlaw abortions based on the gender of a child and therefore is de facto lawful - but does this make it right? On one hand, some would say that abortions under any circumstances are wrong whereas others would take a middle ground position and say that abortion is suitable in some cases although is not an ideal solution to a pregnancy. Others would have no problem with abortions based on gender as they do not see abortion as the killing of an innocent child - and would argue that to outlaw gender-based abortions would be an intrusion of the state on women and their rights.

So what do you think? should gender-based abortions be banned or are they acceptable to your mind?

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The debate is open to you.

[Kardan]

Women have a right to abort a baby if they wish, even if I think aborting a baby based on gender is very distasteful. I would never ever bring up that I wouldn't want a child based on it's gender.

[lawrawrrr]

At the end of the day it's the parents' choice whether they abort a baby - although their reasoning might be unethical to some people. This happens all the time in China - or even worse actually, but I never thought it would happen in the UK tbh.

I'd never discriminate gender-wise about a baby, I wouldn't care what sex I had, it's a baby, it's part of me!

[FlyingJesus]

While not something that I'd take into consideration when choosing whether to abort or not (especially considering it's not 100% accurate on scans until after the cut-off time for abortions anyway) I don't see why it shouldn't be a valid reason if someone's really adamant on having one or the other. Frankly any reason is good reason, and it's not like we need to be forcing people to keep babies they don't want

[-Moniquee.]

Although it is the parents choice, it is wrong! When you decide to have a child you are agreeing on the fact that it could be either gender. If you can't agree on that you shouldn't be trying to have a baby. It disgusts me because there is people in this world that are really genuine and lovely but just can't have children. Such a horrible thing to see that people are getting abortions due to the gender.

[DoCToRFusiions]

Abortion is wrong. Everyone has the right to live, whether they are male or female. If you don't like the specific gender of a child, then give birth to it and give it up for adoption. At least it gets a chance at life. We are the humans. We don't play God. If we think we do, then no-one is safe.

[Shar]

This is such a difficult topic. There's a lot of factors to consider.
People conceive knowing they're not going to necessarily have a baby of the gender that they want. If someone has an abortion after finding out they're having a girl after I don't know...8 times after trying to conceive a boy it may leave some side effects on a mental and physical level.

[Chippiewill]

I believe it actually used to be common practise (Maybe it still is) for hospitals in London not to give the gender of the child before birth as families of Indian descent were more likely to abort if it wasn't a boy. Not really an argument one way or the other, just thought it was interesting.

[Shar]

I believe it actually used to be common practise (Maybe it still is) for hospitals in London not to give the gender of the child before birth as families of Indian descent were more likely to abort if it wasn't a boy. Not really an argument one way or the other, just thought it was interesting.

It was around 20 years ago (from what my mum has told me anyway).

[Inseriousity.]

I don't agree with abortion myself but acknowledge that it's a woman's ultimate right to choose for herself. I'd personally find it distasteful to abort a baby based only on its gender. It's like designer babies without any of the actual mechanisms involved in designing it (another thing that gives me the creeps) and just crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.